Describes the characteristics and behavior of three kinds of peer groups in the composition classroom. Discusses some of the difficulties these groups encounter in their critiquing, and some suggestions for improving the dynamics of the less successful groups. (HTH)

Based on the assumption that the characteristics of communicative language teaching (CLT) have not been clearly defined because CLT needs a new metaphor to describe it, some characteristics of what that metaphor might be are discussed. Reviews some ways in which CLT guides classroom practice and offers directions for future research. (SED)

Describes an activity that involved eight-year-old children writing stories for three- to five-year-old children. (DF)

One teaching approach for basic writing students is to have them transcribe their inner speech--of matching their oral language to written language. (HOD)

Presents a model that predicts writing growth in children as a logical outcome of language acquisition. Provides a list of the kinds of language learning underway in the elementary school years and suggests that teachers may use this list to anticipate where and how such learning will influence the writing processes of children. (FL)

Explains how a writing course with lyric poetry as its subject matter, when designed according to cognitivist principles, provides an environment in which students can grow as writers and also mature in their ability to respond to literature. (HOD)

Describes the benefits of exposing teaching assistants to various theories of composition along with a translation of that theory into practice. Examines three basic approaches: (1) basic training, (2) observation and apprenticeship, (3) and the advanced writing seminar. Contains a detailed course description and syllabus. (EL)

Describes the effect of an endowment of $250,000 for improving the teaching of writing on the activities and morale on the English department faculty, as well as on the improvement of student writing skills. (EL)

Details responses students got from an assignment in which they were required to ask questions of people in eight different occupations about the kind of writing they do in their jobs, the most important qualities of writing, and the biggest problems they see in the writing of others. (EL)

Shows how bringing a major literary text like Othello into the freshman composition writing class improves student writing and encourages group involvement in the writing process. (EL)

Muses over knowledge gained from an education course and contrasts that with personal teaching experience in a writing classroom. (HOD)

Invites colleagues in the "hard" sciences to embrace writing, reading, and thinking across the curriculum, and describes the use of "project" and "concept" composition assignments to that end in an organic chemistry course. (HTH)

Outlines techniques and activities for the French class derived from the "potential literature" approach to writing that takes advantage of playfulness and creativity with words and sounds. (MSE)

Describes efforts in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Ontario to require actual samples of student writing on English performance tests. Includes a bibliography, a holistic marking scale, and an outline of criteria typical in analytic scoring. (EL)

Suggests using the writing folder for such reasons as gaining an improved description and assessment of individual growth in writing, getting a better descriptive picture of writing achievement within the class, and assisting teachers in improving their assessment of writing. (EL)